Slow shots of a beautiful yet ravaged landscape, long periods of ambient music and a melancholy thread running throughout. You'd be forgiven for thinking you were watching a Terrence Malick drama, but it's actually David Gordon Green, director of Your Highness and The Sitter returning to his independent film-making roots with the comedy film Prince Avalanche, a remake of an … [Read more...]
Review: Filth (2013)
Forget good cop-bad cop, it's just bad cop-very bad cop in this wild, thrilling adaptation of Irvine Welsh's satirical novel, Filth. James McAvoy is brilliant as bent cop Bruce Robinson who, thoroughly depraved and debauched, shags, snorts, drinks and deceives his way through his chaotic, angry, nihilistic life. … [Read more...]
Review: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)
Set directly after the events of the original film, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 follows eccentric young scientist Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) who having saved his home of Swallow Falls from his own food-creating device, the FLDSMDFR begins looking to his future. However immediately after agreeing to setup a laboratory with his friends Manny (Benjamin Bratt) Earl (Terry … [Read more...]
Review: The Fifth Estate (2013)
One of the most controversial, and in his own way, influential figures of the 21st Century thus far is WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. In The Fifth Estate, the latest biopic (of sorts) from director Bill Condon, we are shown the events surrounding the relationship between Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Daniel Berg (Daniel Bruhl). … [Read more...]
Prisoners (2013) review by That Film Guy
Prisoners is the first English-language film from Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, most famous for the 2010 drama Incendies. Taking a stellar cast of Hollywood favourites, Villeneuve creates a complicated, in-depth thriller that is at times packed with edge-of-your-seat tension. … [Read more...]
Piranhaconda (2012) review by That Film Guy
Another week goes by and another best worst film is created and shown on the Syfy channel. We've had a Sharknado and a Birdemic, a Mega Piranha and Dragonwasps. But it wasn't until now that we had the wonder that is Piranhaconda. That's right, a genetic freak that is part equal parts piranha and anaconda, two of the favourite monster film creatures. Nonsensical to the extreme … [Read more...]
The Call (2013) review by That Film Brat
The Call is a high concept thriller based around 9-1-1 operator Jordan Tuner (Halle Berry). One night, Jordan gets a 9-1-1 call from a girl who says there is a man in her house. After indirectly causing her capture, Jordan blames herself for her abduction and gives up her job on the floor after the girl is found dead. Six months later, Jordan is a teacher, showing the new … [Read more...]
Constantine (2005) review by That Film Dude
John Constantine was created in 1985 by mad genius Alan Moore as a supporting character in the Swamp Thing comic book. The character, a snarky, chain-smoking Liverpudlian magician, proved extremely popular, and in 1988 was given his own title, the landmark series Hellblazer. Over the next 25 years, Hellblazer would prove one of the best and most important comic books out there, … [Read more...]
The Wicker Man: Director’s Cut (1973) review by That Film Journo
The Wicker Man is the perfect cult film, one that comes with its own ready-made mythology and bizarre history. Its subject matter alone - a pious Christian policeman investigating the disappearance of a young girl on a remote Scottish island that's home to a pagan community - would have been enough to have raised eyebrows on its release in 1973. Add to this the mystery … [Read more...]
Blue Jasmine (2013) review by That Film Journo
To say Woody Allen's output in recent years has been variable is putting it mildly. But if you thought his best was behind him, think again. Blue Jasmine must surely rank among his finest work, a funny but heartbreaking portrait of a woman unravelling. … [Read more...]